Fantasy Clicks:

Unbeknownst to the Fantasy Clicks reader on Monday, I actually had a jam-packed column all set for publishing -- even though I was enjoying a little mini-vacation away from the office. In fact, just seconds before I emailed it over to the SI.com editors ... the {darn} thing got lost in my computer and, inexplicably, would never be retrieved. (I searched every folder in my "C" and "D" drives and found bupkis.) Depressed over losing a 3,200-word column and then too busy at work on Monday night to rewrite the piece from scratch, I thought my fantasy world was indeed crashing down around me. But now, four days later and buoyed by the NCAA Tournanment tip-off ... I am back, baby(!) and fully ready to offer another power-packed Friday Clicks -- all in the name of helping you kick butt in your mixed- or specific-league drafts in the coming days. Let's roll!

It's All About The Slot: #1

Some people consider having the No. 1 overall pick in a 12-team draft a mixed blessing. Yes, you get a free shot at baseball's best fantasy talent ... but you also have to wait 24 looooooong slots before grabbing two players -- who may or may not possess Tier I status. Well, have no fear or ambivalence ... because here's a great strategy for nailing your mixed-league draft when owning the top pick.

Where has the time gone? In the last six weeks, we have received more than 120 submissions -- some sarcastic, some begging for inclusion -- regarding the 14th and final opening in the SI.com & Friends baseball league. And sometime next week, we'll announce the lucky winner (or unlucky, depending on how they draft on The Big Day). But regardless of who we may choose, the thought has occurred to me about a thousand times: Why not create a series of offshoot leagues involving the obsessed Fantasy Clicks readers who weren't tabbed for the house league? Think about it: We have a ton of fantasy geeks (like myself) who are just chomping at the bit to prove their fantasy worth, so why not form a union based on the SI.com & Friends paradigm? Oooh, this idea could fly ... which is why y'all can expect an email from me in the very near future tackling this subject.

In auction drafts, fantasy owners seldom haggle over a buck or two when plotting their pre-draft strategies. Instead, they rely heavily on the tier system to get through the exhaustive process of bidding for talent. So, in deference to these way-too-patient experts, here are the five classifications of second basemen in mixed leagues:

The following is a list of fantasy performers who will enter free agency before the 2010 season -- barring any in-season extensions this summer. So, if you subscribe to the theory that free-agents-to-be enjoy career years at their contractual peak ... then you'll want these guys on your '09 roster.

Depending on your league rules, AL-only owners could be getting a big boost at second base courtesy of Chone Figgins and Mark Teahen. Figgins, better known to Angels fans at the hot corner, actually played nine games at second last year and could earn immediate eligiblity at that spot (once again, depending on your league rules). Teahen's case at 2B is currently nonexistent, since the Royals only played him at 3B/OF/DH in 2008. However, the club has experimented with Teahen at the 4-spot, thinking he could supplant Alberto Callapso while finding consistent reps at the plate. Now, before you rush out and grab Teahen (Sporting News projects 13 HRs, 60 RBIs, 58 runs, 9 steals, .265 BA in '09) for secondary use, keep in mind that only six infielders in major league history -- at 6-foot-3 or taller -- have played at least 81 games at second in any season. Teahen, incredibly, just might be Lucky No. 7.

Phillips vs. Alexei

What's more to your liking ... an ex-flameout with Cleveland whose current franchise donned Red Stockings in the 19th century OR a onetime hidden gem whose current franchise dons white socks (in name only)? When it comes to Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips and Chicago White Sox second baseman Alexei Ramirez, I'm having trouble deciphering which hitter will have the better fantasy season. In fact, from my seat in the dugout, the race is too close to call right now ... which is why I have solicited the help of preseason annuals in declaring the eventual winner:

Verdict: If this decision was solely based on Rotoworld's ambitious projections, Ramirez would get the nod here. But looking at the whole, Phillips stands a better chance of winning the battle in HRs, RBIs, runs and steals this season -- although we can all agree Ramirez will probably hit for a higher average. So, how can I turn BP down now -- even when he's hitting in the 4-hole (a steals killer) for the Reds?

The Future Is Now

It's the grim reality of fantasy baseball, folks: To win a roto-style championship in AL- or NL-only leagues, you must have intimate knowledge of the next wave of dynamic playmakers coming from the minors. To wit, here is a listing of The Sporting News' top 20 prospects for the 2009 season:

For a detailed listing of each franchise's top 10 prospects (courtesy of Baseball America), click here.

Total Bases Recall

For the loyal Clicks readers in fantasy football, you've heard me prattle on a thousand times about the importance of Targets -- the number of times a receiver is thrown to -- and how it's a fail-safe method for evaluating receivers. Well, I am equally passionate (fanatical?) about Total Bases in fantasy baseball. By my way of thinking, TB is the perfect convergence of coveting power hitters and on-base machines who make a living out of doubles. It's also a stellar indicator of future success -- even in meaningless spring games. To wit, here are the top 5 Total Base studs for each American League team in Grapefruit/Cactus league play (through March 18):

Citing the latest info from our friends at Mock Draft Central and the Average Draft Position component, here's a general idea of where/when we can expect the top catchers (including the ailing Joe Mauer) to come off the draft boards:

Switching gears to basketball ... now that I've been shut out from the SI.com & Friends league playoffs (courtesy of one teeny, tiny non-turnover from Suns guard Leandro Barbosa) ... I figured it'd be a good time to speculate on the top 12 picks for next year's fantasy hoops drafts. (Like I have anything else better to do.)

The calendar may read March ... but it's never too early to take an extensive peak at NBADraft.net and its usually spot-on projections for the 2009 NBA Draft. This exercise is purely speculative, of course, since none of the college underclassmen (or European gems) have made their intentions known for the June draft party ... but it's always fun to guess which player the lowly Kings might be targeting -- should they actually win the lottery. NBADraft.net's lotto projections are listed below; for a full acccount of the educated guesses (as of March 16), click here:

82games.com is one of the best resources for NBA fans. Don't believe me? Well, check out another gem, chronicling the league's best and worst value picks in the last 20 drafts (1989-2008). In its research, 82games used a simple math equation (Rating = points/game + rebounds/game + assists/game) to illustrate its findings ... and classified the top five values as Gilbert Arenas, Carols Boozer, Dino Radja, Kobe Bryant and Ohio State prodigy Michael Redd. On the flip side, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Saer Sene, Serge Ibaka, Patrick O'Bryant and, of course, Kwame Brown bring up the rear. Hmmmm ... I wonder if Kwame gets pulled from the list -- if he leads (or at the very least, helps) the Pistons reach the Eastern Conference finals for a seventh straight time?

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